The Other Life of Alley Paine
by EveningCicada
Summary: Alley Paine is battling leukemia at 10 years old. When she receives a Nintendo Wii and Animal Crossing: City Folk game as a present that have just a touch of magic deep inside them, Alley's life is changed forever-and for the better. Check my profile!
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

Long ago, in a place called Raleigh, Virginia, there lived a girl by the name of Alley. At the age of 10, she was battling leukemia—and losing. Alley grew frail and weak and could barely support herself for much longer. Her parents worried for her and so did Alley herself. What would happen to the small group of friends she had at school? Would they cry? Would they forget her? Alley thought about so many things all throughout the day, it often brought her anxiety. She lost her hair and with that, her confidence, and never had she been so afraid for her life.

Until a present worked as her miracle.

Cooped up in her hospital bed that took the shape of her small body, a box with bright pink wrapping paper sat at the foot of her bed, waiting for her when she awoke from her daily nap. When given permission to open it, she discovered it was a Nintendo Wii. Oh, how she always wanted one! She turned the box over and found a game taped to it. Animal Crossing: City Folk. A few minutes later her father came in with a special TV on wheels, and told her it was specially for her. Smiling, Alley thanked her parents and within an hour, the Wii was set up. She made her own Mii (even without the hair) and popped in Animal Crossing.

This is a simple story, really. It's a story of how this special game, Animal Crossing, changed the life of Alley Paine.

I guarantee you there will be sad parts and happy parts, bad parts and good parts, tear-worthy parts and smile-worthy parts in this small story of Alley Paine. But if you look hard enough, you will find that overall, this beautiful story is mostly a happy one.

So pull up a chair and come and sit with me, and I'll tell you a story of a girl, a disease, and the life-changing game of Animal Crossing: City Folk.

You won't be disappointed.


	2. Chapter 1

May had finally arrived in the town of Raleigh, Virginia. Alley was allowed to have her windows open halfway in her small hospital room, which really helped clear her sinuses. The old and crumbling hospital was often stuffy and dusty, and gave you the urge to cough or clear your throat. The sun shone through the not-so-clean window and offered a small amount of hope. For a better day. Somehow. Hope was all Alley could afford. Even through her leukemia, she tried to remain positive among all other things to be, but some days are worse than others. Today, however, was a better day.

When Alley awoke from her mandatory daily nap, she found there was a big, rectangular box resting at her feet on top of her bed. It was wrapped in pink wrapping paper. (Alley's favorite color.) Confused, she leaned over and read what it said on the front.

_For Alley, with love._

_From Mom and Dad_

She smiled to herself. Right then, one of the nurses walked in and greeted her.

"Hello, Alley. Oh, that gift is from your parents. You can open it. I'll call your folks and tell them you're up."

Alley nodded. Slowly, she picked up the box and carefully tore the paper off. When every piece of wrapping paper had been perfectly placed on the bedside table, she examined the box.

_A Nintendo Wii_, she thought. _I always wanted one. They got me a Wii!_

She smiled and flipped the box over. A game had been taped to its surface.

Animal Crossing: City Folk.

_Hmm. This looks fun. I wonder what it's about._

Right then, her parents walked in, wheeling a small TV inside the room and beaming with joy.

"Do you like it?" her mother asked, taking a seat on the squeaking bed.

"Oh, yes," Alley said, smiling. "Thank you so much. I never thought I'd get one." She couldn't speak too loudly, for her muscles in her throat ached. "My throat hurts, so I'd talk more enthusiastically if I could, Mama. Sorry."

Alley's mother kissed her forehead. "It's fine, sweetie. Allergies stink."

Her father kissed the top of Alley's head. "And here's a TV to play it on, Alley."

"A TV? Really? Thank you so much, guys. Staying here won't be so boring now."

Immediately, Alley's father hooked up the Wii to the TV and in record time, Alley was able to play. She made a Mii for herself, complete with green eyes, a warm smile, and a hairless head. Oh, and who could forget the pink shirt?

The doctor said she was free to play Wii whenever she wanted, as long as it was at least an hour after she woke up from sleep and should be off two hours before she went to bed. She accepted the rules and afterward, began to play Animal Crossing: City Folk. Her parents had to leave to attend a business meeting (both were successful lawyers) so Alley was left buy herself for the afternoon. No tests were scheduled today, so it was a perfect day to relax and player her brand-new Nintendo Wii. She propped herself up on pillows and clicked the Animal Crossing game channel at the far left corner of the screen.

Then it happened.

The wrist strap tightened around her small wrist. The remote vibrated and buzzed so extremely, her whole body shook with it. She tightened her grip on it and squeezed her eyes completely shut. A bright light encased her and her surroundings, a light so intense and warm and _bright._ At first, Alley thought she was on her way to heaven. But no, things got crazier. She was lifted from the bed and being pulled towards the TV. Clenching her joints to prepare for the impact, she was slammed into the TV.

But nothing happened.

No pain, no impact, nothing.

Just falling.

She slipped completely through the TV unhurt. Just as if she could walk through a wall. The remote was still attached to her right wrist, but it was calm now. It stopped vibrating and instead silently rested in the palm of her hand.

She didn't feel the need to scream, even though she was falling through colors of every color you could ever imagine. Beautiful different shades of greens and reds, purples and blues, oranges and pinks. She felt as if she was flying rather than falling. An overall sense of calmness. Almost peace.

The colors faded to black.


	3. Chapter 2

Alley woke up on a small bridge. What had happened? All she remembered was falling through beautiful colors after she had somehow ended up inside her TV. Was she dreaming?

No.

When she rubbed her eyes and got a better view of where she was, she knew everything was too _real_ to be a dream. The colors were too lush, the place was too alive.

But what is this place, anyway?

She stood on her own two feet and examined her body. No scratches. No bruises. No broken bones or sprains.

_Huh,_ she thought. _That's strange. Didn't I fall here? Isn't that how I ended up here? By falling? Why am I still intact?_

She also noticed something else.

Her hands had no fingers! She brought them to her face. They were just round balls of skin. A little afraid, she tucked her hands behind her back. She wouldn't look at them. Her dress rippled in the soft wind.

_Dress?_

Ah, a dress indeed. It was a yellow and orange pattern, with a sort of checkerboard design at the top. It was awfully comfortable. She looked down at her shoes. They were red, with additional striped blue and white socks that came up to her knees.

Slowly, she took a few steps. I can tell you exactly what went through her mind as she placed one foot in front of the other. It can be simplified into one word.

_Wow._

But who would want to simplify?

_I have never felt this good. I feel...healthy. I don't feel weak. I feel strong. Good and strong._

Young Alley continued walking through this mysterious place. It had a good feeling about it. Safe.

Yes, safe is a good word for it, but Alley had another word for this place. She was a bit confused by why it had popped into her head so suddenly, but she knew it was the perfect word to describe such a beautiful and secret haven.

_Home._

Not able to take it any longer, she began to run. Through the trees and along the sandy beach at this small world's far end, she felt her legs lift her up and carry her like she never had before. The sun shone on her face and hair whipped in the wind.

_Hair?_

Abruptly stopping, she placed a hand on her head and sure enough, there was hair. She was alongside the river now, and she knelt down to see her reflection in the water.

She had pink hair that was pulled back into three ponytails and bright, brown eyes. She smiled the brightest she has ever smiled in all of her ten years, and after another minute of admiring her mysterious transformation, she began to run again. Such absolute freedom. Alley felt so carefree and happy and open. She was finally out of that dingy hospital room and outside. She no longer worried where she was or how she would get home; all that mattered was that she felt healthy, had a head full of hair her favorite color, and most importantly, felt happy.

And as she ran on grass so beautiful and green, she had not a care in the world.

"You're an energetic little one, aren't you?"

Alley slowed down to a walk and finally to a complete stop and looked behind her. A _raccoon_ waved politely, as not to scare her. She felt a tingle crawl up her spine.

"We weren't expecting any new villagers today. Are you sure you're not in the wrong town?"

_Town?_

She looked around her, examining this land in small circles performed on her toes. It _was_ a town! How could she have possibly missed the houses and other small buildings resting quietly in the distance?

"I, uh...," was all Alley could get out.

"My name is Tom Nook. I own the store here. And you're...?"

"Y-you're...a t-talking ani-animal?" Alley stuttered, frightened.

Tom gave a soft chuckle. "Ah, the famous question. We get asked that a lot here."

"_We?_" said Alley. "You mean there are _more_ talking animals?"

Tom nodded.

"Okay," Alley began, to clear her mind. "So this is a town full of...talking animals?"

Tom nodded again, smiling softly.

"And they...walk like humans? And eat and have conversations and live in houses?"

"Yes," Tom concluded. "I know it's rather peculiar, but you'll get used to it in time, hm?"

"I don't even know how I got here. I put in the Animal Crossing game disk and I ended up here."

Tom's brows came together in confusion. "You mean you're from...Earth?"

"Yes," Alley said.

"That can't be right. That's...that's insane."

"No, it's right," Alley argued. "I swear."

Tom shook his head. "No, no," he mumbled to himself, "it can't be." He looked up at the girl before him.

"Come with me," he said. "I know someone who can help us."


	4. Chapter 3

I haven't mentioned this before, so I suppose I should explain it now. As you have seen, Tom Nook was pretty baffled by the idea of a girl from Earth coming to a town in Animal Crossing: City Folk. And, as you may have guessed, people from Earth don't usually have the ability to visit the world of Animal Crossing. Except for Alley. There is a story behind this.

Long before Alley had been born, Celeste found something interesting in the stars. She called to her brother Blathers to help investigate.

"Something in the stars, Celeste?" Blathers inquired.

"Yes," replied Celeste. "Take a look through the telescope."

When Blathers looked through the telescope, he found nothing out of the ordinary. "I don't see anything unusual," he said to his sister.

"Ugh," Celeste muttered. "You don't see it?"

"No. Hoo. What am I looking for anyway, eh wot?"

"Grid B-1, across from section C-4!"

"I haven't an idea what that is. You're the one who's into stars, sis. I don't know much about this, hoo."

Celeste gave up. "Well, Blathers, I looked up the alignment of the stars in that area, and it lives up to an ancient Japanese myth. I did my research on that, too, and this whole situation means that someone from a far-away place is going to come visit us, though it may take months, or even years. He or she will bring the whole town great happiness and joy! Isn't that exciting, hoo?"

Blathers smiled. "It _does_ sound interesting and exciting, but how are you so sure that this myth is really true? It _is_ a myth, after all."

"The stars have never been wrong."

Blathers couldn't argue.

Let's get back to Alley and Tom Nook, shall we?

"What is this place anyway?" Alley asked as they walked to wherever Tom was taking her.

"Isle. It's a nice little town," Tom replied.

"So...I'm actually inside the Animal Crossing game, then," Alley said.

"Correct. Do you like it?"

Alley looked around Isle once more. "Yes," she concluded. "I love it. I loved it since the first minute I arrived here."

Tom nodded, smiling. "I don't blame you."

"So, where are we going, Tom?"

"My good friend Blathers. He knows _everything._ And if I'm correct, and you are who I think you are, he'll tell you everything you need to know."

Alley looked at him strangely. "What?"

Tom waved it away with his paw. "Blathers will explain. He knows more about than I do."

"Okaayy," Alley sighed. _I'm not even used to the talking animals part yet. How am I supposed to get used to "being who he thinks I am" if what he thinks is true?_

They arrived at the museum. It was a gorgeous white building with an owl design on the front, above the door. When they walked in, Blathers was seen sleeping in the middle of the building. Tom shook his shoulder to wake him up.

"Get up, Blathers."

"Whaa...? ZWAAAAAK!" Blathers exclaimed when he awoke. "My apologies. I'm a night owl, as you know. Do you need something?"

Tom nodded seriously. "I think we found the girl who had been written in the stars."


	5. Chapter 4

When Blathers and Celeste had recapped the story of what they'd seen in the stars 16 years ago, Alley couldn't believe it.

"So," she said, rocking back and forth on her heels, "I'm, like, an angel or something?"

Celeste shrugged. "I guess you can say that, dear. You're a gift."

"Um," Tom said, placing a paw on Alley's shoulder, "why don't you go meet with the other villagers?"

"Okay," Alley said, slowly making her way out of the museum. She could still hear their hushed voices as they discussed why and how Alley had come, and what she would bring to the village.

While she was walking outside through one of Isle's many fields, she came across a white dog with a brown spot over his eye, catching a butterfly. Well, he was _trying_ to, at the very least. Alley watched him for a while, until he had noticed her.

"Oh, hi," he said shyly, a bit embarrassed she had been watched all this time. "Are you new here?"

Alley thought about this. Didn't "new" mean she was staying for a while? "Um, yeah. My name is Alley."

"Alley," he repeated. "That's a cool name. I'm Bones."

"Bones," Alley said, testing it out. "I like that name."

"Thanks. Have you met with any of the other villagers yet? They'd be glad to meet you, I'm sure."

"Actually, you're my first," Alley replied, folding her hands behind her back in her shy habit.

"What town are you from?" Bones asked.

"Raleigh, Virginia."

A small expression of shock ran across Bones' face. "Y-you mean _Earth_?"

Alley sighed. "Yup."

"Like, the real world?"

"Yes. Everyone's really shocked about it. The two owls who run the museum, Blathers and Celeste, they said that long ago they saw something-"

"In the stars," Bones finished.

Alley nodded. "Yeah, that's right. How did you know?"

"I've only been here for about three years, but it's an Isle legend. Are you the person they thought they saw coming?"

Again, Alley nodded. "Yes. At least that's what they tell me."

"You're a legend, Alley!" exclaimed Bones, smiling. "Man, that's so awesome. Lucky."

Alley giggled. She tilted her head up to see the beautiful, cloudless sky. "Is it always this beautiful here?"

"Yup," Bones said, looking up now too, "always. The bugs are starting to come out now, and so are fish. Bugs are my favorite. They're so fun to catch." He pulled out another net from his pocket. "Do you want to catch some together?"

Despite her strong dislike for bugs, Alley took the net from his paw. "I'd love to. Thank you."

Together they ran through fields of grass and in-between the trees, chasing butterflies and long locusts. Alley soon overcame her fear of bugs and actually enjoyed catching them. Bones taught her how to sneak up on mantises, and after their bug catching fest (which lasted a few hours), Bones introduced Alley to some of Isle's residents. Alley knew she was supposed to meet with them before anything else, but she couldn't resist staying with Bones. It had been so much fun!

And when they both sat down against one of Isle's many tall pear trees, their legs aching from running yet their hearts were calm, snacking on the fruit in the late afternoon, Alley officially declared the day perfect.


	6. Chapter 5

Tom Nook caught up with them that afternoon.

"Hey, Alley. I see you've met Bones," he greeted them. Bones blushed.

"Yes, I did. He was my first friend here. He's sweet."

"Did you meet with any other villagers?"

"Yes, Bones introduced me to them. They were all very welcoming."

Tom nodded. "Good. I'm happy, then. Well, while you're staying here, I suppose we should find you a house, hm?"

Alley hesitated. "Oh, but I can't _really___live here. I have to get back home. And, how will I get home, anyway?"

"Well, when do you have to be home by?" Tom asked.

"I'm not sure. But I've been gone for a long time. I hope they're not worried about me."

"What about the gate?" Bones suggested. "Can't that be used to exit Isle?"

Tom's face lit up. "Yes, Bones! That's it. Good job."

Bones smiled shyly.

"So, I have to go to the gate?" Alley asked, still a bit confused.

"Yes," Tom replied. "But first, let's find you a house to reside in when you are here, hm?"

"Okay," Alley agreed.

"Hey, if you want it, there's a free house right next to mine," Bones added. "We can be neighbors."

Alley smiled. "Bones, that would be great! Can I move there, Tom?"

Tom smiled. "Of course. You can take a look at that house and then we'll figure out how to get you home."

So, the trio walked the short distance to Bones' house. Sure enough, there was a house with a red roof to the left of it. It was also right by the river; its gentle waters quietly rushing.

"This is beautiful," Alley gushed. "I love this house. It's right by the water and next to my new friend. I'll take it." She beamed.

However, when she took a look inside the house, it was a whole other story. It was dark, small, and dusty. Alley made a face of disgust. It reminded her of the hospital room. And believe me, she wanted absolutely _no_ part of her life on Earth if she would come here to escape it.

"It's, uh, really small," Alley said quietly.

"No worries," Tom said quickly. "You can upgrade it as you pay your mortgage."

"_Mortgage_?" said Alley. "What is that?" Well, she _is_ only 10.

"It's the money you pay on your house," Bones explained. "Just deposit it into your account whenever you want to pay it."

"It's really simple," Tom said. He began to explain that her first payment would be 19,800 Bells and as she continued to pay it, her house would get bigger and bigger with upgrades. She could make money by catching bugs, fishing, selling unwanted items at Tom's shop and/or helping out her neighbors with errands.

"Oh, I see," Alley said, relieved. "Okay. Thank you."

After a lesson in mortgage payments and the like, they proceeded to the gate to see if she could return home from there. Copper was the one to speak to, since he knew all about the coming and goings of villagers.

"Good day to you three!" Copper greeted with a salute.

"Good day, Copper. We need to find a way to bring Alley home," Tom started.

"Back to Earth," Bones added. "She's from Rooley, Virginia."

"_Raleigh_, Bones. _Raleigh_, Virginia," Alley corrected.

"Oh, sorry." He giggled."I'm not used to those Earth names."

"Well," Copper said, "I _do_ remember seeing a girl come through earlier today. I presume that was you." He looked at Alley with a friendly expression. "I'm sure we can figure out something, okay? Just give me one moment." He pulled out a notepad and jotted something down.

"Raleigh, you said, right, Alley? Virginia?" he said, not looking up from his paper.

"Yup. That's correct," said Alley.

"Okay, then. This shouldn't be too hard. Once you leave these gates, keep walking down the small footpath until you reach a few forks in the road."

"Uh, forks?" Alley asked, confused.

"Like, the road separating into different paths. There should be a sign labeled 'Raleigh.' Just head down the path that bears that sign, and you'll be home."

"Simple enough," Alley said, nodding. "Thank you."

"I'll go with you the first time," Bones said.

"Thanks, Bones."

"So, when should I expect to see you again?" Tom asked.

"Oh, soon," Alley replied. " Probably tomorrow, if I don't get in trouble for being gone for so long today."

"Good. Until then, Alley." He gave her hand a short shake and waved as she and Bones set off for her hometown.

"Oh, and one more thing!" Copper called after them. "The Wii and game must _always_ be on whenever you're visiting! Or else...or else bad things can happen. Got that?"

"Got it!" Alley responded. She thanked them again and walked with Bones until they saw the fork in the road and the sign labeled 'Raleigh.' She gave Bones a hug. Of course she couldn't see it, since she was facing the opposite direction, but behind her, Bones had blushed.

"Thank you for everything, Bones. I had a lot of fun today."

"I had fun too. But you'll come back tomorrow, right?"

"Of course." She held his paw for a short second, and gave it a squeeze. "I promise."

They bid goodbye for now and Alley set off on the footpath that led her back to her lonely hospital room. Already, she was thinking of heading back.


	7. Chapter 6

A very, very bright white light shone all around her as Alley stepped to the far end of the footpath. She closed her eyes very tightly and bit her lip. Bracing herself for the fall she expected to experience again, her fists clenched and her limbs tensed. But nothing happened. Instead she felt as though she were floating, then flying, and she even smiled to herself. Alley arrived safely on her creaky bed. Rubbing her eyes, she thought to herself, _Huh. I'm back safe and sound. No falling. Just floating._

"Oh, there she is!" a woman sighed in relief. "Alley, dear, where on Earth have you been?"

Alley recognized the woman as her nurse, and quickly made up a lie. "I was in the bathroom."

Okay, it wasn't the best of lies, but it was better than nothing.

"You know better than to leave for the bathroom before letting us know.," the nurse gently argued. "Your mother was worried sick."

"She was?" Wow. _Have I been gone for that long? _thought Alley.

"Yes." The nurse shook her head, then creased her eyebrows together. "You were really in the bathroom all this time?"

"Well, not the _whole_ time. I-"

"Alley! There you are." She was interrupted by her doctor, Dr. Vince. Dr. Vince was a stout man with almost no hair and a lot of energy. A clipboard was always pressed against his chest and he carried a handkerchief in his shirt pocket. He had small, hazel eyes and an upbeat attitude. He's a nice guy.

"Alley. Your mother insisted I do a check-up on you and see what's going on so far."

Alley released her tensed shoulders in relief. She wouldn't have to lie.

"Will you need me, Doctor?" the nurse asked, already halfway out the door.

"Nope," replied Dr. Vince, not taking his eyes away from Alley's throat. He rubbed her glands. "Good," he mumbled to himself, jotting something down on his clipboard. "Good."

Alley's right hand suddenly shone a bright white very quickly, and resting in her palm, was none other than the Wii remote. She shoved her arm under the blanket so Dr. Vince wouldn't see. Luckily, he didn't, for he was far too focused on the inside of Alley's ear. Slowly, she took off the wrist strap and placed it on the space beside her pillow.

Alley was healthy. At the end of her check-up, she was instructed to go to bed immediately because she missed her afternoon nap. The lights went out and the door closed. Alley took a hand and gently stroked her bare head. Her pink hair was gone without a trace. Pulling the blankets up to her neck, she lain on her side and squeezed the Wii remote. She fiddled with the gel jacket protecting the remote and kept it in her hands as she drifted to sleep 20 minutes later.

She dreamt of Animal Crossing.

Alley woke up the next morning with the Wii remote still cupped in her hands.

_Can I go back to Isle?_ she thought. She looked at the clock mounted on the wall. It was 6:21 AM.

"Wow," Alley whispered. "It's so early. I'm not even supposed to be up yet." The coast was clear.

She popped in the Animal Crossing game disc and held the Wii remote tightly.

_Here we go,_ a voice said in her head. _Hold on._

Alley was thrown into the TV with impossible force. She gained the sensation of falling again, but learned to make it less horrifying by keeping the thought of Isle in her mind. Bones. Her new house. All would make sense soon.

Once all the beautiful shades of colors faded to black, Alley knew she was approaching Isle. She closed her eyes and smiled in the darkness. Almost there.

At once, her feet touched the ground. She landed on the same bridge as yesterday. She looked all around her to be sure she was in the right place. Yup. This was it.

Alley took her hand and stroked her hair. It felt good to have hair. She began to walk and watch the morning dragonflies zip from one flower to another.

"Oh, hello there. You must be Alley."

A light brown bear was coming her way, with the same shirt Alley had on (a citrus gingham). She had light pink cheeks and a gentle tone of voice.

"I can see we have a similar sense of style," the bear commented with a giggle when she saw Alley's shirt.

Alley allowed herself to laugh a little too. "Yeah, right? And yes, I'm Alley. What's your name?"

"Maple. You're a morning person, I see."

"Actually, I'm not. But I decided to come here to play while I can. I'm not supposed to be up yet."

"That's right," Maple said, nodding. "You're from Earth, right?"

"Uh-huh. Virginia."

"Is it nice?"

"Yes, I guess so. But I like it here so much more. Isle is so pretty."

"Yes, it is. You know, I was just on my way to plant some flowers. Would you care to join me?"

Alley nodded and smiled. "That sounds fun. Thank you." 

"Anytime."

They strolled to a vast area of grass. Widespread and open.

"This is where we're going to start. Here, just take one flower out..." Maple handed Alley a red cosmos bag. "And place them in the ground like so." Maple demonstrated. "If you want, I can plant them, and you can water them as I do each one."

"Okay," Alley agreed. "That sounds cool."

Together they beautified the area of open grass; turning a boring empty space into a fully-blossomed garden. Flowers of all kinds (blue ones, red ones, white ones, yellow ones) were sprouted in rows of 10. Alley never saw any kinds of flowers so gorgeous.

"Oh, we have an extra," Maple noticed, pulling a yellow pansy out of her pocket. "Here." She carefully placed it in Alley's hair; its sweet and soft fragrance just reaching her nose. "That looks pretty."

This kind action warmed Alley's heart. "Thank you. No one ever placed a flower in my hair before."


	8. Chapter 7

"Ohmigosh, those flowers are, like, soooo pretty! Did you two plant those?"

Maple and Alley turned around to see Chrissy trotting towards them. Chrissy was a pink bunny with white polka dots scattered on her skin. She had bright black eyes and was always sporting a happy expression; full of endless energy.

"Like, ohmigosh! You're Alley, right? The girl from _Earth_?"

Alley smiled. "Hi. Yup, I'm Alley. And you're...?"

"Oh, I'm Chrissy! It's so nice to finally meet you and stuff! Everyone's talking about you, and I kinda was starting to think you didn't exist. But you_ do_! And that makes me happy! YAAAY! A new friend!"

"She's rather hyper," Maple whispered to Alley. Alley giggled.

"Oh, and yes, we planted these flowers," Alley added, gesturing to the beautiful garden she and Maple had created. "It was really fun."

"I bet!" Chrissy said, smiling. "I love flowers!"

"Me too!" Alley said, nodding. "They smell so pretty."

"And really they brighten up a room!" Maple chimed in. The three girls laughed in happiness.

"You know, guys, I was like, just on my way to get some coffee from The Roost. Wanna like, come?"

"Okay," Maple nodded. "That sounds cool. Thanks. You're coming, right, Alley?"

"Uh, sure." Alley wasn't allowed to drink coffee, but she couldn't say no; that would be rude. Besides, it'd give her a chance to hang out with her new friends. She had to admit, it was funny watching Maple and Chrissy talk with their different personalities. Maple was so calm, and Chrissy was ready to explode at any minute.

As they walked past Bones' house to get to the museum, Alley discovered why today was a bit different. "Where's Bones?" she asked.

"Oh, he's sleeping," Maple said. "It's rather early for him, but he'll be up around nine."

"Nine?" Alley whined. "But I have to be back by eight-thirty!"

"Can't you come back again this evening?" Chrissy suggested.

"Maybe," Alley thought, "but I'll have to make sure none of the nurses or my parents notice I'm gone."

Chrissy's pace slowed. "...Nurses?"

"I live in a hospital."

"Goodness," Maple said, shaking her head. "How come?"

Alley stopped in her tracks. Yeah, how come? How come no one was telling her how serious or mild her disease was? Why did she have to live in a hospital? Wasn't there a cure? Some things Alley just didn't understand...

"I'm very sick," Alley said quietly.

"Oh...," Chrissy said, looking down. "I'm, like, sorry..."

"But you can take medicine, right? And you'll feel better?" Maple asked quickly, a bit of worry in her voice.

"Sometimes the medicine works." Alley continued walking. "But sometimes it's not enough and my sickness gets worse."

"I hope you feel better," Maple said, trying to sound a bit cheerier.

"Yeah, maybe the coffee, will, like cure you!" Chrissy tried.

Alley giggled in spite of herself. _But when I'm here,_ she thought, _I'm not sick._

Oh, if only that was the truth. Naive Alley assumed her health was better (or even totally perfect) because she felt better and more healthy whenever she was in Animal Crossing.

That's not the case.

She didn't know it yet, and won't discover it for a long time, but the truth is, being in Isle only numbed her pain. She's still the frail, leukemic girl she was on Earth, but covered by a video game body.

If only things were that easy...

When they arrived at the cafe in the museum, The Roost, Alley came clean.

"Um, I'm sorry, but... I don't drink coffee. I'm not allowed."

"Aw, come on! Just a little? You'll love it!" Chrissy exclaimed.

"Maybe it interferes with her sickness, Chrissy," Maple reminded her. "Does it, Alley?"

"No, I've just been told it's a grown-up drink."

"At least try it," Maple said. "For us?" She smiled.

"Okay," Alley finally agreed. They all took their seats along the counter.

"The usual," Maple told Brewster, the kind pigeon who ran the cafe.

"Me too," Chrissy added.

"Uh, me too, I guess," Alley said with a smile. "Is it really that good?"

"It's the best. I promise you'll love it," Maple assured Alley. When their coffee was ready, everyone watched in excitement as Alley slowly took her first sip.

"Whoa...," Alley gushed. "This is amazing."

"Told ya!" Chrissy said, gulping hers down.

"Mmm. It's delicious, Brewster," Maple complimented him.

"I'm much obliged. That'll be 600 Bells, ladies."

"Oh, I'm sorry," Alley said, patting her pockets. "I don't have..."

"Relax," Chrissy said, placing 300 Bells on the counter and watching Maple do the same. "It's on us."

Alley smiled. "Thank you. You're such good friends."

"So, are you used to the animal-villager-thing yet?" Maple asked, smiling.

"A little, but it'll take some getting used to," Alley admitted.


	9. Chapter 8

After their little time at the cafe, Alley decided to go back home. It was already 8:12, and it was best if she got home as soon as possible.

"I wish I could spend more time here," she said with a sigh.

"But doesn't that make it more special?" Maple asked.

"Hm...I guess I never thought of it that way, Maple. Thanks."

"Yeah, Maple has, like, aaalll the answers," Chrissy chimed in, nodding. "She's inspirational and stuff."

Maple giggled while Alley nodded.

"So, I guess we'll walk you to the gate, then?" Maple said.

"Yeah, I gotta go."

"'Kay, but we'll see you soon, right?" Chrissy inquired.

"Of course. I'll be back in a little while."

When they arrived at the gate, Alley took the familiar path and ended up back in her room. The remote shined brightly in her hands, returning from wherever it had been before. No one had come to check up on her, so she pretended to be asleep until her parents came in and asked her about Animal Crossing.

"Oh, it's really fun," responded Alley, smiling. "I really like it. It's relaxing."

"Why don't you show us?" her dad asked.

"Um, I don't feel like playing right now. I'm still kinda tired." She gave a fake yawn and stretch.

"Okay, dear. That's fine," her mother said, placing her palm on Alley's knee. "Well, Daddy has a court case he must attend today, and he wants me to accompany him, so I'm afraid we can't stay here for much longer today."

_Perfect_, Alley thought. "Oh, it's okay. Mama. I know you're busy."

Now, Alley's parents aren't the ignoring type. Indeed, they always looked out for their daughter. They made a lot of money and were...as you may call_ wealthy._

But do you want to know the truth as to why they'd never stayed in the hospital with Alley for too long? Especially since she was so lonely and shy, she needed someone to stay with her, right? How come her parents couldn't?

They hated seeing her so sick.

They hated seeing her suffer.

But maybe they were a bit selfish, because at this point in her life, Alley couldn't hold on much longer with her leukemia. And her parents just couldn't stand to see that. They loved her.

I'll tell you another interesting piece of information, if you'd like.

–

I woke up around nine. I was planning to start my day by taking a walk around town, but the thought of Alley came into my head. A little faster than usual, I headed for the door and across the garden she and Maple planted together the other day to pay her a visit at her new home in Isle. After knocking on the door several times, Rizzo approached me from behind.

"You just missed her."

"Huh?"

"The Earth girl. She just left. What's her name, Alley? Yeah. She was visiting around eight o'clock, but had to go back to her home in...Virginia, was it?"

"Oh," I sighed. "I just missed her. Hey, how did you find out about all that?"

"Chrissy told me. But don't worry, Bones, she'll be back again this evening or something like that. She asked for you."

"Alley?"

"Yeah. But of course, you were sleeping."

"Oh." I suddenly had an idea. "Um, I'll see you later, Rizzo. I have to take care of something in the city."

"See ya."

I waited on the bus stop for a short while before Kapp'n drove up. He was always pretty fast with that bus of his. I seated myself quietly while he kept talking subliminally about his days as a "young lad."

The bus ride was short, as always, so when it pulled up in front of the bustling city I trotted over to GracieGrace. Usually I wouldn't be caught dead in here, but I figured Alley was special.

"Oh, that piece is a Gracie low table," Labelle, the saleslady, informed me when I walked over to look at it. Reaching for my pockets, I asked, "How much is that?"

"Sixtey-eight thousand Bells, sir."

I swallowed. "I'll take it."

"Very well. Thank you and come again!"

"Thanks."

_I really hope she likes this. I never bought Gracie furniture before..._

–

Now, wasn't that cute? It seems our Bones is quite fond of our young Alley...

Their friendship is one that will last forever, I can assure you.

But just how long is forever?


	10. Chapter 9

Many boring hours later, (crossword puzzles and word searches kept her busy and away from the Wii for a while) Alley finally found her way to escape.

"Alley, down for your nap. You need more sleep for your body to fight off the virus."

Okay, _virus_ may be an understatement. But the nurses were always considerate and tried not to use the word _disease _too much.It often freaked out the patients.

"Okay, um, good night." Alley turned off her bedside lamp. She never really knew what to say when she took a nap. Good night? Was that really the only thing she could say? It was only the afternoon, and...things like this just got poor Alley confused to no end.

A good 30 minutes had passed and Alley knew her time had come to make her escape to Isle. Carefully, she placed the Animal Crossing disc into the Wii and braced herself. She couldn't help smiling on the way down.

She landed on the bridge once more. This time, however, she decided to take a look at her house. Maybe she'd get some decorating ideas.

_I'm sure Maple could give me a few pointers, _she thought, _since she's so laid-back._

Boy, was Alley's house small. There was barely any room to walk around in, and there were cobwebs in the corners. Barely any sun shone through the glass of the grimy windows, and she was convinced Tom Nook had given her the most run-down house in the whole town.

She was right in the middle of thinking these very thoughts when she heard a knock at the door.

"Oh; come in!"

"Alley?" a familiar voice called out. "It's Bones." He walked through the doorway with a shy smile on his face. "Oh, good. You're home."

"Oh, Bones! I haven't seen you in a while." Alley threw her arms around him unexpectedly, causing the white dog to blush. Alley hadn't noticed he was holding something in his paws.

"Um, this is for you," he said shyly, handing it to her. "Kind of like...a 'welcome to town' present. A housewarming gift."

Alley's cheeks tinted pink. "Bones, you didn't have to," she said with a smile.

"I did. I really did."

Carefully, she unwrapped the red ribbon and white paper, and the present inside was none other than a GracieGrace-brand low table. She didn't know how lavish GracieGrace furniture was, but she figured by the design and packaging that it must have been expensive.

"Oh, Bones...this is beautiful! Where did you get it? Not Tom Nook's, right? Or..."

"I bought it in the city. GracieGrace, to be exact. Do you like it?"

"I love it! Thank you, Bones!" Alley gave him another quick hug and placed the furniture in the center of the room.

She felt something dash across her feet, and when she looked down, she saw a cockroach running about the room.

"Eeeek! B-Bones, a roach! Kill it! Kill it!" She's usually against killing bugs, except if one had touched her.

"Where, Alley? Whe-_gyah!_ Um, I-I'll get it!"

Alley shielded her eyes, cringing while Bones carefully grabbed the pest and placed it outside.

"Um, it's gone! _Ick_, that was gross."

"Did you kill it?"

"No; I placed it outside."

"Oh, well, that's just as good. Thank you."

"You're welcome. Nook's empty houses like these usually have some bugs squirming around. It's pretty nasty."

"So no one really wants to live in these houses?" Alley asked.

"Well, Isle is such a quiet town, I guess no one's ever heard of it, really. Hey, wanna go fishing? It's a waste of a nice day to stay indoors."

"Sure! But I'll need money for a rod, won't I?"

"I'll show you how to make Bells."

When they were outside Nookington's, Bones shook a pear tree and the fruit came falling down.

"Here. If you shake fruit trees and let the fruit fall, you can sell them and buy whatever you like. They're worth a hundred Bells each."

"Oh, okay." However, Alley just couldn't resist...

"Mmmm! These are so good!" she said, laughing. They had such a crunch to them; they were so fresh and ripe and juicy!

Bones nodded, smiling. "I know. They are, right?" He took one and popped it into his mouth as well.

"Yum," he said, "these are when they're ripest out of the whole year."

"Wow. We don't have fruit like this in Virginia."

Alley purchased her very first fishing rod and she and Bones walked down to the river.

"Once you understand river fishing," he informed her, "ocean fishing is no problem." 

"Oh! I see a fish in the water!"

"Cast your rod!"

She followed his orders and ended reeling in a guppy. "Aww," she gushed, "it's cute!"

"Wow. A guppy! Those are pretty rare. You have a natural skill."

Alley giggled and placed the tiny creature in her pocket. She'll put it in her house later as a pet, she had decided.

Suddenly, all of Isle went dark for a split second, then became re-enlightened.

"What was that?" Alley asked nervously.

"I don't know, but it was weird...," Bones said, confused.

"Is everyone okay?" someone shouted from across the field. Alley saw that Copper, one of the guard dogs, was running towards them. "Are you two all right?" he asked when he neared them.

"We're okay," Bones told him. "But what just happened?"

Copper's next words filled Alley with terror.

"Someone turned off the Wii."


	11. Chapter 10

"B-but!" Alley stammered. "How is that possible?"

"Where is your Wii?" Copper inquired.

"In my room."

"Then...," Copper said, deep in thought, "it's clear what happened. Someone was in your room."

"Uh-oh," Bones whispered.

Alley squeezed her eyes shut. "No! Ugh! My parents are probably looking for me! I have to get home!"

"You can't; the footpath has disappeared," Copper told her. "The only thing we can do is wait for someone to turn it back on."

"But that might take forever!" Alley exclaimed. "Now I'll never get home..."

_Actually, _she thought, _I always wanted to stay here for a longer while..._

"But then we have more time to play, Alley!" Bones tried to cheer his friend up.

"Well, you're right, Bones, and I _did_ want to stay here longer...but what if I can never get home?"

"Don't fret, dear Alley, I'm sure we'll figure something out," said Copper. "But...Bones is right. Take advantage of this."

"It'll be fun. We can get to know each other more and stuff," Bones said.

"I know...but, Copper, didn't you say bad things can happen when the Wii gets turned off when I'm still here?"

"Yes," Copper nodded. "Which is why I asked everyone if they were okay. Usually when that happens, all of the game's memory is deleted and you would be lost among the video game universe forever."

Alley cringed. "So we were lucky."

"Very."

"I'll keep you updated, Alley," Copper said before heading back to the gate.

"Okay. Thank you."

"So, should we get back to fishing?" Bones asked.

"Yes. I bet I can catch more fish than you!"

Bones gave a competitive smile. "Oh, we'll see about that!"

While Alley and Bones were having a fishing competition, things on Earth weren't as relaxed...

"Alex! Where do you think she could have gone?"

Alex scratched the back of his neck. "_I don't know_, Cheryl! You act like_ I_ took her!"

"I'm calling the police!" Cheryl, Alley's mom, reached for the phone mounted on the wall.

"No, Cheryl." Alex took his wife's hand. "Come on, she'll show up sooner or later."

"Are you telling me that our daughter just disappears out of thin air, and you want me to believe that she'll show up sooner or later?"

"Calm down. We got here as soon as we could after the doctors called us. They're doing everything they can. We don't need to call the police yet. They'll find her."

Cheryl's eyes filled with tears. "Do you think she ran away?"

"I don't know, honey. But we have to be patient." He wrapped his arms around her and squeezed her. "Things will be okay. You have to trust me."

"Ugh, the Wii is on?" Cheryl mumbled. "This girl is going to burn out the power, I swear." She wriggled out of Alex's grip and turned the console off. (The Wii screen only projected the Animal Crossing: City Folk home screen)

"Miss Paine?" a nurse called out.

"Did you find my daughter?" Cheryl asked, a little too hopeful.

"Um, no. Sorry to say. I was wondering if you and your husband wanted to join me for a cup of tea."

"Oh. Okay. Tea might help soothe my mind."

"There you go, honey," Alex said, squeezing her shoulder.

Cheryl turned to face him."I blame you for this," she said through clenched teeth.

"You always do..."

–

"Ha! Another bass for me!" Bones said, holding up his prize.

Alley clapped. "Nice, but nothing compares to my olive flounder!"

They fished _everywhere. _The ocean, the river, the ponds. Their pockets bulged with fish, and they already donated quite a bit to Blathers at the museum, and he noted how fast the museum's collection of fish was increasing and improving rapidly. Before Alley arrived, the museum was embarrassingly empty, but now that she was here it began to bustle with life and creatures of all sorts. So far the only things she (and Bones) had added to were the bug and fish collections, but even those were impressive so far, compared to what they were like before anyone donated. The extra fish that went to the museum already were sold, and Alley had a nice amount of Bells jangling around in her pockets.

"Phew...wanna go to my house for something to eat?" Bones suggested. They were both tired and starving. Fishing can really take a lot out of you if you have an opponent like Bones!

"Sure," Alley agreed.

"So. Let's play twenty questions on the way to my house. 'Kay?"

"Okay."

"Favorite color?"

"Pink."

"Mine's green. Favorite food?"

"Chicken."

Bones looked horrified.

"Oh! I forgot about the part that you're an animal...Um, pizza, then."

"Hey, me too! Favorite number?"

"Nine. It's the date I first arrived here."

"Clever. I like four. How about singer?"

"On Earth we have this girl named Selena Gomez. She's cool. Yours?"

"K.K. Slider. He performs every Saturday night at The Roost. Oh, today's Saturday, isn't it? Let's go to his performance tonight!"

"Okay! That sounds awesome."

They arrived at Bones's house.

"Please excuse the mess," he said, giggling.

Alley laughed.

_Look at this, _she told herself. _I have a best friend. And he's a dog!_

She didn't know whether to be frightened or extremely happy that it didn't bother her one bit.


	12. Chapter 11

Bones had very colorful furniture. His whole house was made up of greens, yellows, reds, and blues. Alley and Bones munched on fruit salad and chocolate chip cookies. The fruit was so fresh and juicy; it was unlike anything Alley had ever tasted before.

"This is so much better than the tiny salads the hospital gives out." The word _hospital_ escaped her lips for the second time since first coming to Isle.

"_Hospital?_"

"Oh, yeah. Bones, I have a disease called leukemia and I have to live in a hospital to get better."

"Leu-what-ia?"

"_Leukemia_."

"Oh. Will you be okay, Alley?"

"I hope so. I don't even know what this disease does to me. The doctors are getting worried, though."

Bones nodded, unsure of what to say.

"But," Alley continued, "I'll be okay. I just know it. I mean, when I'm here, I'm not unhealthy. I just feel so alive and free. I just feel so good when I visit. Maybe I'll get better if I come here each day."

"You'll be okay, Alley. I promise."

Those very words gave her a sense of security; a calming state of peace. No one on Earth ever told her that.

"What do you want to do now?" Bones asked. He and Alley were sitting under a pear tree. Alley closed her eyes and sighed.

"Nothing. Absolutely nothing. This, right here, is perfect."

Bones leaned back and smiled to himself.

"Just sitting here in the shade," Alley said, "just being here...it's all right. Everything feels so right."

"Yeah, it does, doesn't it?" Bones closed his eyes too.

Alley took a long sniff of the clean Isle air. What did it smell like, though?

_Sweet, very sweet. A mix of fresh pears and trimmed grass. A soft aroma of flowers. Plywood. Saltwater. Everything so brand-new and beautiful. This is happiness. This is what it's like to be happy._

Having never experienced much living in a hospital, Alley was sheltered from the outside world. She was never absolutely, fully happy. But, she can't help but wonder, can this qualify as the outside world? It isn't Earth, after all...Can this count as a real place?

When she told this to Bones, he had a very good answer.

"Well, you're real, Alley. You're really here; so isn't that all that matters?"

"Yes, Bones, you must be right."

Late afternoon had come in the small village of Isle. The girl and the dog had not moved from their special spot under the tree.

"Whoa," gasped Alley as she watched the sky turn to an amazing blend of pink and orange. The whole sky seemed to fall around her.

"Hey," said Bones, getting up and offering Alley his paw. "I know a place that's the best spot in town to watch the sunset."

"You do?" Alley said, not taking her eyes off of the beautiful sky.

"Yes! Come on, I'll show you!"

The two friends ran across town, to wherever they needed to go. Alley still wasn't sure where Bones was taking her.

"Where are we going, Bo-"

Alley stopped mid-sentence in awe. They stood on the beach to watch the sunset cast an orange glow over this sleepy little town. The sun made the ocean sparkle in a way Alley could never imagine. The sun turned into a bright, melting orange. Everything had tinted pink as the world held its breath. Another long minute had passed and before young Alley knew it, the sun had retired for the day and the evening sky turned a gorgeous purple. Some stars poked through; though it was still a little early. Alley's neck craned up to watch the whole transformation.

"That was beautiful," she said when she found her voice.

"I told you this was the best spot," Bones declared, looking proud.

"That...what just happened, that sunset...That happens everyday?"

Bones nodded. "You don't have sunsets where you come from?"

"No, we do, just not that amazing. Bones, that was...magical."

Bones smirked. "Well, what else would you call everything that happened to you in the past few days?"


	13. Chapter 12

"Oh, two daaays aaagoo...," K.K.'s voice sang from the stage. Alley had her hands wrapped around a mug of coffee and was sitting at the main table. Bones was beside her and so was Chrissy. You should have seen Chrissy's reaction when she saw Alley walk into The Roost at 8.

"_Ohmigosh! You're coming too? I, like, didn't even know you liked live performances! Why didn't you say something? Ohmigosh, you're going to have, like, the best time ever!"_

"Do you like it?" Bones whispered to Alley.

"This is great," Alley whispered back. She had already forgotten she was somewhat stuck here.

"He's, like, sooo dreamy...," Chrissy sighed, her eyes not moving away from K.K.'s. When he winked at her, Alley thought she was going to faint.

"D-Did you see that? Ohmigosh!" Chrissy exclaimed, and little Alley couldn't help but laugh. Did Chrissy ever get tired?

"Thank you, hep cats," K.K. said when he finished his song. "Are there any more requests?"

"Ooh!" Chrissy raised her hand. "Can you sing K.K. Tango?"

"Sure thing."

Once the music began to play, Alley smiled to herself. _This is the life. _She almost hated to admit it, but these animals in town were the truest friends she'd ever had. Bones took a sip of his coffee and Alley leaned back in her chair.

"Oh, I was meaning to ask you...," Chrissy whispered to Alley. "Is it true that Bones really got you a piece of Gracie furniture?"

Alley nodded. "Yeah," she said so Bones couldn't hear, "why?"

"Like, everyone's talking about it. That's so sweet! I mean, it's, like, so expensive. I could never afford that kinda stuff."

"What do you mean?"

"Uh, hel-lo? It's GracieGrace! Only the most expensive and lavish furniture ever! Plus it's all the way out in the city. You're so lucky. Bones is a great friend to you."

Alley bit her lip. She could never return the gift he had given her, that would be rude. But was GracieGrace furniture that expensive that everyone was talking about how Bones had given it to her? And why did he go out and buy something so pricey, especially for her?

Looking over at the dog sitting beside her, she could only guess that she was special to him.

It felt so good to be wanted; loved.

Alley closed her eyes and sighed, listening to K.K.'s soft voice and the gentle rittle-rattle of the cafe's tea cups and coffee mugs, seats creaking and guitars strumming, and the ever-present thought in her mind that things were going to be okay.

"Alley," Bones said when the concert was over, yawning, "I think I'm gonna go to bed. Will I see you tomorrow?"

"Definitely," Alley replied, giving him a short hug and wave before heading off to her own house. When she did get there, however, she couldn't stay long. Alley traveled to one of Isle's many cliffs and stared up at the stars in absolute awe. The sky was a surreal purple and the stars shined down like diamonds from the sky. A river ran gently beside her. Alley reached her hands up and stood on her tiptoes; craning her neck and letting the wind lift her new hair. She breathed a deep breath and took everything in; the infinite sky, the diamonds resting somewhere in space, watching the world below, the gentle current of the river's waters, the wind that carried a fragrance of new life and rippled her dress...

Maybe, just _maybe_, if she lifted her hands high enough, she could touch one of the stars and bring it back down to this mysterious land, encasing it in her palm to feel its warmth and light...

For the first time, Alley knew what to meant to be alive.

"Aren't they fascinating?"

A voice threw Alley out of her little world of thoughts and snapped her back to reality (was this reality?) so fast it was almost painful.

"Oh, hoo! I didn't mean to startle you."

Alley turned around to see that Celeste was walking towards her, wearing a sweet smile and holding a telescope and some papers.

"Hi, Celeste," Alley managed to squeak out.

"You found my observation spot," Celeste said, still smiling.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Alley said, ready to leave.

"Oh! Don't be, hoo. Just sit here, okay, dear? I would love your company."

"Oh." Alley smiled. "Okay."

"I come here every night to watch the stars," Celeste explained, taking a seat on the cliff's edge and gazing up at the night sky. "Stars are beautiful and endlessly romantic, don't you agree?"

"Yes," Alley said, nodding. "I do." She sat next to Celeste and let her feet dangle from the cliff.

"How was K.K.?" Celeste asked, not taking her eyes off the stars.

"He was amazing. He really comes here every week?"

"Mm-hmm, hoo..."

"I'd think with talent like that, he'd be on some world tour or something."

"He said he's not in it for the money. Such profound passion, I say, if he does it simply for the fun, hootie hoo!"

Alley nodded. "Yeah, he's a cool guy."

"I love the stars," Celeste said, changing the subject, "I've studied them my whole life."

Alley smiled. "That's really cool."

"Here, why don't you take a look through the telescope?"

"For real?" Alley asked, feeling honored.

"Of course." Celeste smiled.

Alley carefully took the telescope from Celeste's wing and peered through it. She saw each separate dazzling star individually, and boy, were they beautiful. The sky seemed to dance behind them with open, outstretched feelings of freedom. Celeste was right. They were fascinating. They shined like no other stars have on Earth, and Alley was stunned by their beauty.

"They're gorgeous," she whispered, handing the telescope back to Celeste.

Celeste nodded. "I know. This is where I can really connect with myself, hoo. You know what I mean?"

"I know exactly what you mean."

"I mean, gazing at these stars, when it's just me and my telescope, I feel like I'm in a whole other world..."

Alley smiled. Celeste was so genuine and intelligent. "We all need that escape sometimes."

Celeste brought the telescope to one of her sparkling eyes and peered through it for a while through a comfortable silence.

"How do you like it in Isle, Alley?" Celeste asked after a while. She jotted something down on one of her papers and then turned to face her.

_Whoa,_ Alley thought, e_ven her eyes look like the stars._

"I love it. I'd have it like this for the rest of my life," Alley responded dreamily. A shooting star fell across the sky.

"Quick, make a wish!" Celeste said quickly.

_I wish..., _young Alley thought...

_I wish to stay here forever._


	14. Chapter 13

The next morning, Alley woke at dawn. The tiny attic where she slept gave off a feeling of comfort. Unable to stay in bed, she explored Isle in its early stages of sunrise. Absolutely no one was out, but she didn't feel lonely. Alley felt at peace. The air was a bit cooler and the day was just beginning to warm up. The sky tinted a blend of pink and gold. Shops were still sleeping and the villagers' houses were still dark inside. It was a beautiful morning.

Some butterflies hovered around flowers and the trees bowed their heads in the soft wind. Alley sported her new dress, a lite dot shirt, and took a seat on one of the rocks by the river to watch the day breathe into life.

Half an hour later, someone called her name.

"Alley? Hoo?"

Alley turned to see Blathers walking sluggishly toward her, a book clutched under his wing.

"Hi," Alley said, realizing her own voice sounded a bit sluggish.

"Um, I have some news for you."

Alley stiffened. "Sure."

"Take it easy here, okay? I know this seems odd, eh wot, but your body is the same as it is on Earth."

Alley twisted her feet. "What do you mean?"

"Y-you're not...healthy when you're here, like you thought you were. You're just-"

Alley knew. "I'm still the same Alley."

Blathers nodded. "I did some research on your illness, leukemia. What do you usually do when you're on Earth?"

"I'm forced to stay in bed all day."

Blathers's face saddened. "Then I'm afraid coming here might not be a suitable activity."

"But...," Alley protested, "but I _have_ to come here! I can't stand it at that crummy hospital; it's gross and I just want to be free...I just want an escape from reality, Blathers, because I was never able to get away from my leukemia..."

At this time, Blathers had sat down beside her and listened intently, a small expression of concern on his face. Alley continued, this time with tears in her eyes.

"It's so hard...living with a disease like this. I'm never allowed to go to school anymore like I used to, and my parents are never there with me. I think it's because they hate seeing me so sick, but it still hurts not having my mom and dad with me to help me fight this. Don't they know that I'm scared too? Don't they see that I'm dying? I mean, I've grown used to living in a hospital room and everyone has been nice to me, but this is not the life I wanted. I never believed in magic or anything like that until I was thrown into my TV. I don't know why it happened to _me_ of all people...but I'm so grateful. What really scares me, is sometimes I see the doctors and nurses talking in hushed voices to each other. I've been told I might not make it...so why do I still believe I'm going to survive?"

Blathers's answer was short and simple. "Because you came here."

Alley looked at Blathers, her face tear-stained. She remained silent. 

"Coming here gave you hope, Alley. That's why you believe you'll survive." His voice changed to a hushed whisper. "And maybe you will."

"Yeah, right," Alley said, rolling her eyes. "Everyone has been saying that to me. But they don't know what it's like to be me."

"You can't hide who you are, Alley. You're not the only one in the world with an illness. Things do get better."

"But I _want_ to hide who I am. I'm so ashamed of being this way."

"You don't have to be."

"This town, these people, this is the life I always wanted. Everything is carefree and open...I never realized it, but this is what I always wanted in life. I just needed to be here to learn that..."

"You're a very intelligent girl; I do hope you know that."

Alley sighed. "Thanks. For listening."

"Hoo."

Alley twisted her hair and closed her eyes.

"Let me share some knowledge with you," she heard Blathers say.

"Okay," she whispered.

"Sometimes, in life, the most precious things last for the shortest while."

…

"How come?"

The owl got up from the ground and shook his head. "So we know how to appreciate them when they're given to us."

"Blathers."

"Yes?"

"Is that the meaning of life?"

"To some people," was all the bird said before solemnly walking away.


	15. Chapter 14

Maple and Alley were taking a walk that afternoon when a bright, white light seemed to flicker across the whole sky for just a second. Copper came running towards them.

"Alley! The Wii! It has been turned back on! You can go home!"

Maple shot a side glance at Alley, who couldn't help feeling disappointed about having to go home. She was already getting used to living in a town full of animals.

"R-really?" young Alley asked in disbelief.

"I suggest you leave right away, in case another thing happens to prevent you from leaving Isle again."

"Aww," Maple sighed, pouting, "things were just getting fun."

"I'll be back again, Maple," Alley assured her.

Maple giggled. "If you keep running back and forth, I would have guessed you'd be planning to actually live here by now!"

Alley's heart skipped a beat.

Copper was restless, nearly pushing her in the direction of the gate. "Walk down the footpath again, okay, Alley? Hurry, hurry!"

"Okay!" Alley said, already darting to the gate a dozen yards away.

–

"_Alley! Where in the Lord's name have you been?"_

Screaming and swearing was all you could hear from Floor 4, Room 402 of Raleigh Hearts Hospital. Alley recoiled in her seat and cringed at her mother's harsh words.

"You had us worried _sick_!"

"Easy, Cheryl-"

"No, Alex! You can't go 'easy' on her! We called the police and filed a missing child report! And you expect me to go 'easy'?"

Alley tensed. Indeed, her parents called the police on the second day there was no sign of Alley Paine.

"Alley," her father said in a calm tone, "where have you been?"

_If you keep running back and forth, I would have guessed you'd be planning to actually live here by now!_

Alley squeezed her eyes shut and said the first thing that came into her mind.

"I ran away."

Instantaneously, the tension in the room softened. Cheryl's eyebrows lowered and Alex exhaled a breath he'd been holding. A tear fell from Alley's eye. She hated lying; she really did.

_But what if it could be true?_ she thought. _What if I can really run away?_

"Sweetie," her mother cooed, "why? Why did you-"

"Because it's so miserable here, Mama. I hate being here and never knowing anything that's gonna happen and being all cooped up in this stupid room with nothing to do and feeling sick all the time..." She was crying now. "It's so hard."

Though most of what she said was true, she couldn't help but think she was a good liar...and she hated herself for that. Alley's parents asked no more further questions and gave their daughter a hug. She knew what was coming next.

"Lie down, Alley."

Alley took her usual position on the bed and propped herself up against a pillow.

"Alley," her dad said, taking a seat at the edge of the bed. "Don't ever do anything like that again."

Alley merely nodded.

"Alex!" she heard her mother holler.

"Coming, honey!" Alex said. He squeezed his daughter's knee before jogging down the hall.

All Alley could hear in her mind was Maple's voice, over and over again. Sure, she was only teasing, but Alley couldn't help but wonder...what if she's right? What if she has an idea? As Alley scooted down further under the covers to shield herself from the world, a sudden weakness dizzied her and giant, black spots littered her eyesight. She knew she should be calling the nurse for help, but she just didn't want to. She had a better idea.

"Guess Blathers was right," she mumbled into the blanket, "I've been running around too much..."

Slowly climbing her way out of the covers, Alley's head continued to spin. When her feet touched the ground, nerves sent shots of pain all the way through her spine. Groaning, she made her way back to the dusty bed and tried not to fall unconscious.

_I'll do it tomorrow, _she thought. _But only because I can't stand._

She felt nausea when she thought of spinning and twirling through the corridor of colors on her way to Isle, and figured it was best to get some rest today, especially if she felt so much pain from just barely standing.

Alley saw the Wii had been pressed into the wall on the wheeled desk it rested upon. Now that she noticed that, she began to continue looking around the room. Files were spread on the floor and the TV wires were tangled. Someone was most certainly looking for something, and Alley didn't know if they found it or not. Still, she wondered.

The very fact that a video game console had been pushed into one of the walls (thus, pressing the power button along with it) and that was what had brought Alley home was beyond her. It was just so...surreal. Way too surreal.

_I'll run away tomorrow. _

_I know it's a bad idea._

_I know I won't get better._

_But since Animal Crossing numbs the pain, I'll feel better._

_And maybe that's all that matters._


	16. Chapter 15

Sleep came and left easily. Alley awoke around 5 in the morning the next day. She wasn't sure how she woke up, but this was a perfect chance.

Carefully putting in the Animal Crossing disc in the console and fastening the remote (which had returned the day before, as usual) around her wrist, Alley took in a deep breath and looked around the room she called _home._

Never again.

Alley felt strong force pulling her into the TV screen as her feet skidded across the floor.

"Goodbye," she whispered.

But poor Alley didn't know just how much she was saying goodbye to.

Waves lapped upon the shore. The sunrise painted the cloudless sky pink and orange with a dash of red.

Alley's shoes dug into the sand while her hair caught the sun's shine. This morning was warmer than usual.

"Like, Alley? Is that you?"

Chrissy sat beside Alley, yawning. "Like, what are you doing here?"

"Just hanging out. You?"

"I couldn't, like, fall back asleep...," Chrissy said drowsily. "I totally hate it when that happens."

"Y'know," Alley said, "I never knew you could ever be tired."

"Of course I get tired, Alley. Like, all that energy doesn't just come out of nowhere. I rest to work on it."

"Chrissy?" Alley lowered her voice to a whisper. "I have to tell you something, and I want you to support me."

"Sure. You can totally count on me."

"I've decided to run away from home and live here."

Chrissy's eyes gained their natural sparkle again. "W-what? F-for real?"

"Yup," Alley said, folding her hands behind her head and stretching out on the sand. The beach's soft sand cradled her head and Alley grew relaxed.

Chrissy did the same. "So you're just gonna, like, forget all about your home on Earth and live here?"

"Uh-huh."

"And you're just gonna throw everything you ever had away just like _that_?"

"I don't have much to throw away, Chrissy. Everything I could ever want is right here in Isle."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes!"

"I mean...I don't, like, understand. You have no problem leaving home and never looking back?"

"No problems at all."

"Wow," Chrissy whispered. "I wish I was like you."

"No, you don't. Believe me."

"I totally do..."

"Okay, Chrissy." Alley was annoyed. "Why?"

"When I was, like, younger and stuff...I ran away too. I found this place, Isle, and stayed here ever since. I was like, so scared and stuff. But you? You're, like, so brave and totally cool about it. You _want_ to run away. I didn't. But I had to."

"How come?"

"Stupid stuff," was all Chrissy answered.

"You can tell me," Alley said apologetically.

"My mother died and I, like, couldn't stand life without her."

"And," she continued, "my dad left before she died."

"Really?" Alley whispered.

"Really." Chrissy closed her eyes. "Now tell me, Alley, why do you _really_ want to run away?"

Alley swallowed. "Because I'm afraid _I_ might die."

"What? What do you mean?"

"Th-that disease that I told you about..."

"Yeah?"

"It's called leukemia. I know it's fatal, but I really don't want to believe it. I live in a hospital and I hate it and...well, whenever I'm there, I feel like I'm dying every waking moment of my life."

Chrissy was finally beginning to understand. "And when you're here?"

"I feel like I'm not sick at all. Even though I am, I feel...unafraid. I can live life to the fullest like I never could at that crummy hospital." 

"I understand that feeling," Chrissy said, her voice just barely a whisper. "I feel that here too. There's just something about Isle...right, Alley?"

Alley nodded. "There's just something about Isle," she repeated, "...something that makes me feel-"

"Alive," they said simultaneously.

Alley looked over at Chrissy and thought, _She isn't much different from me at all. She has a life story, too._

Little Alley felt, for the very, very first time, that she was not alone in the world.

She was not the only one living with pain.

She was not the only one shedding tears.

Alley knew this because she took Chrissy's hand and they cried together, over the unanswered questions about the whys and hows of life, over their decisions that changed them forever, over their own fears of losing whatever they have left.


	17. Chapter 16

"Do you want to get a coffee?" Chrissy asked after a few minutes.

"Sure," Alley responded, sniffling.

On their way to the museum, Pete, the mailbird, caught up with them.

"Are you Alley?" he asked, holding a letter in his wing.

"That's me," she responded.

"Cool. I thought so. Here's a letter from Bones." He handed her a white envelope.

"Oooh," Alley said, taking the letter. "Thank you."

"And you, Chrissy, I have one for you too," Pete handed Chrissy a letter also.

"Ohmigosh! I love getting mail!" Chrissy said excitedly, practically grabbing the letter out of Pete's feathers.

"Um, have a nice day, ladies," Pete said, waving and smiling as he hurried off to his next route.

"H-he's kinda cute," Alley sighed.

Chrissy snapped away from her happy world of receiving a letter and straight back to Alley. "Who? Pete?"

"I that his name?" Alley asked, watching him knock on one of the neighbors' doors.

"You're the only human I've heard of who has a crush on a pelican, Alley."

"Whoa! I don't have a crush on him...I just-you know-kind of-like-"

"Fell in love with him!" Chrissy interrupted.

"No!"

"Calm down, girl. I'm just, like, kidding."

"Oh. Sorry."

"Besides, he likes that girl at town hall, the freaky one...Phyllis is her name."

Alley looked back to Chrissy. "Oh, yeah?"

"Yeah, but Phyllis is totally oblivious. It's kinda funny." Chrissy giggled. "Anyway...he's too old for you."

"Don't you think I know that, Chrissy?"

"Oh. Well, probably, yeah. Come on; stop drooling and let's go get coffee. I'm still, like, half asleep."

Alley laughed.

But Bones, upon hearing this a few yards away, was crushed.

"What'd Bones say, Alley?" Chrissy asked as Alley scanned the letter over.

_To_ _Alley,_

_Meet me at our pear tree around noon. You might still be back home as I write this, but don't worry. As long as we get too see each other again, that's all I care about. How do you like Isle so far? It's a quaint little town and I enjoy living here. I hope you like visiting too!_

_From Bones_

"Aww! You guys have your own pear tree rendezvous or whatever?" Chrissy gushed. "That just tugs at my heartstrings!"

"He's just my friend, jeez," Alley said, confused about why everything that happened with a boy equaled love. "And what the heck is a rendezvous?"

"I really don't know," Chrissy admitted, "I think it's a meeting place or something."

"Oh," Alley said, nodding. "What does your letter say?"

"It's just from my stupid aunt," Chrissy said, turning back to her letter. "Nothing special, I'm cer—Ohmigosh!"

"What?"

"She gave me two tickets to see Dr. Shrunk! _Live_!"

Things just kept getting weirder and weirder. "Who the heck is Dr. Shrunk?"

"Ohmigosh; he's a comedian and he's, like, sooo funny! I can't believe you've never heard of him before! He's so famous all over the world and stuff!"

"Uhh," was all Alley had to say before Chrissy gave her own explanation.

"Oh! That's right!" Chrissy _tsk_ed, "I keep forgetting about the video game—Earth thing. Two totally different worlds. Haha!"

"So, are you going to the show? When is it?"

"Tonight at eight. And I'm bringing you! I don't care; you're going!"

"All right then," Alley said, taking a sip of her coffee. "Thanks."

"Like, no problem."

Giggling under her breath, Alley read her letter one more time.

_Meet me at our pear tree._

No one knew it yet, but those words would be passed back and forth between Bones and Alley for times to come.

And their pear tree would become a symbol of their friendship forever.

And ever.


	18. Chapter 17

"Hi, Bones," Alley greeted when she came upon the pear tree at exactly 12 noon. Bones, as promised, was sitting beneath the tree's luscious foliage."What's up?"

"Hi, Alley." He smiled. Alley took a seat next to the dog and leaned her head against the tree trunk.

"What's wrong?" Bones immediately asked, sensing Alley's uncertainty.

"What? Oh, sorry. I was lost for a second. Um, can I get your opinion about something, Bones?"

"Oh, yeah. Um, sure."

"What would you do if I told you I was running away from home...," she closed her eyes, "...to live here forever?"

"Alley," Bones started, but Alley stopped him.

"No," she said, "just tell me what you would do."

_I would confess my love for you,_ Bones thought.

But he didn't dare say it.

"I-I would-" stammered Bones, "I would...tell you I'm happy for you. And I'd be excited to see you all the time. And I'd-I'd meet you at this pear tree-"

"Everyday," Alley finished. "Everyday." 

"Everyday," Bones repeated in a whisper.

…

"Alley," Bones said. "Are you trying to tell me something?"

But Alley Paine wasn't done. "And what would you do if I told you I'm running away from my leukemia because I can't feel the pain it causes when I'm here?"

"Then...," Bones thought this over. "Then I would tell you to be careful. And I'd support you."

"How about if I told you in real life I have no hair?"

"Then I'd reassure you you'll always have hair here." Bones chuckled and Alley found herself giggling, too.

"It's from the medicine," Alley added. "It makes my hair fall out."

Bones nodded.

"What if I told you I've been told I would die?"

"We all die, Alley."

"No, Bones. I was told I'd die in the next few years if my health didn't improve."

"Oh. Well, if you told me you've been told you would die, I'd probably tell you you wouldn't. I'd comfort you."

"And what if...," Alley lowered her voice to a whisper. "What if I died?"

Bones lowered his head. "Then I would cry. And I'd miss you. I'd miss you a whole lot, Alley."

Alley fought the tears in her eyes. Today just wasn't a great day. Too emotional. And young Alley hated emotions. It always seemed they were way too complicated than they had to be.

"Please don't die," Bones whispered. "Please don't die, Alley."

"I won't," Alley said.

"You have to promise."

"I won't die."

…

"I promise."

Oh, if only the world could live on promises.

Seems that our friend Bones has finally introduced his fondness for Alley. If only he could introduce it_ to her_...but he's probably just shy. Now, isn't that the sweetest thing ever? I certainly think so.

This whole story is sweet, actually. That's mainly why I chose to share it with you. We've come this far, huh? Are you still listening? Good. Are you comfortable? Even better. I don't suggest falling asleep now; we've more to conquer in this story of Alley Paine. More things to say, more things to see, more things to feel.

Like this, for instance...

_I wanted to tell her right then and there. I wanted to ask her, "Alley? What would you do if I told you I love you?"_

_I don't know what her response would've been, but maybe I'd rather not know. I can never be sure of these things. _

_I wish I knew more about love._


	19. Chapter 18

Later that evening, Alley and Chrissy met up at the bus stop to go see Dr. Shrunk.

"Ohmygosh! I'm, like, sooo excited!"

Need I mention who said that?

"I know, right?" Alley squealed. "This should be awesome! Can't wait till the bus-"

The bus pulled up in front of them. They had only been waiting 30 seconds.

"-gets here," Alley finished, and she and Chrissy ended up keeling over with laughter. They stepped onto the small platform to enter the bus.

"How much?" Alley asked the bus driver, Kapp'n.

"Nar, not a single Bell! This service be free, ye know. Sit where'er ye like."

"Oh," Alley said, embarrassed. "Thank you."

"Would you hurry?" Chrissy complained, sitting all the way in the back. "Come on already!"

"Coming!"

"I love to sit in the back," Chrissy gushed.

Alley cocked her head. "Why?"

As the bus started to move, a bump sent the pair flying out of their seats. "That's why," Chrissy giggled.

The softened leather seats made for a sweet kind of comfort. They were worn out, after all, and not dirty, so Alley didn't mind the bus ride. She never got to go in a bus before, since she was always hospitalized, but it turned out to be a nice experience. Better than the ambulance ride she took when she was 7 years old. _Way_ better.

When they arrived at the city, Alley couldn't believe her eyes. A true city! Living in a small town all her life, little Alley never got to see the real hustle and bustle of a real city, the streetlamp-lined streets, the commotion and the whizzing of cars. This city was rather small, but it was cute. It was unlike the pictures she's seen of New York and Chicago. However, she felt this city was better.

Chrissy tugged at Alley hand. "Come on, come on!"

"Okay! Geez! Slow down! I'll fall!"

The Marquee lay just outside the city steps. The bunny and the girl walked a short distance to get inside; the floor was lined in red, velvet carpeting.

"Just like in the movies!" Chrissy gushed.

"Hi," the clerk said when they reached the ticket booth. "I need to see your tickets, please."

Chrissy handed the clerk the tickets as she checked them over.

"Okay, row three, seats seven and eight."

"Thanks," Alley said before they walked into the tiny theater. It smelled faintly of soda, popcorn, and...Alley couldn't figure out why, but it also smelled like rotten tomatoes.

"Popcorn?" one of the workers asked.

"Sure," Chrissy said. "We'll take one."

Alley pulled out a 25-Bell coin. "It's on me, Chrissy. I still owe you from that coffee. Plus your aunt bought us the tickets, so..." She took the popcorn and the worker smiled. "Enjoy the show!"

As soon as they sat down, another worker approached them. "Soda?" he asked.

"Sure," Alley said, "two, please."

Alley handed him twenty Bells.

"Thanks. Enjoy the show."

The curtains opened and revealed some type of pink creature in a spotted shirt.

"Dr. Shrunk is in the house!"

"Woooooooo!" the audience roared.

"Let's talk about love today, shall we? Um, ahem...Love makes everything nicer, don't you agree? Take my wife, for example, she used to be the sweetest girl in the whole wide world! She called me her 'funny honey' and all that sweet stuff..."

Again, little Alley wondered about love. What did it feel like, exactly? And how could she know when she loved someone?

"...but now, she says my jokes make people queasy and that I need to get a _real_ job!"

The crowd fell into silence.

"He's kinda lame in person," Chrissy whispered.

"Tell me about it," Alley said.

"And another time," Dr. Shrunk continued, "she asked what kind of doctor I am! Really! I was so insulted! My kid even says she's the head of the house! Is anyone on my side?"

The people in the audience had this disturbed look on their faces, Alley noticed. She now knew why the place smelled like rotten tomatoes.

"The doctor is out!" Dr. Shrunk said, and the curtain closed.

"That's it?" muttered Alley.

"Aw, come on! Such a waste of money!" Chrissy complained.

"Well..." Alley tried to remain positive. "It was cool. Even though we didn't even eat the popcorn."

"I'll stick it in my pockets. Hey, wanna take a walk to GracieGrace?"

"Sure. I always wanted to go there." The audience began clearing out; Chrissy and Alley made their way through the crowds and out the door.

"Is this the expensive place?" Alley asked Chrissy.

"Psshh. Oh, yeah. Usually, I just look around. Someone got crazy with the price gun and added _waaay_ too many zeros."

Alley laughed. "It can't be that bad!"

When they went into the store: "It _is_ that bad. Oh my gosh, Chrissy."

"I toldja!"

"Oh, but this is so pretty!" Alley looked at a shirt with the same pattern as Bones's table he bought for her.

"Yes, miss," Labelle, the saleswoman said, "that piece is six-thousand two-hundred Bells."

"Oh, wow," Alley said. "I was gonna save that money to buy some furniture...but this is pretty tempting."

"So buy it, Alley! You'll be the talk of the town! No one can ever afford GracieGrace brands in Isle. Go for it!" Chrissy was always excited when it came to Gracie clothes.

"Okay, okay! I'll take it."

"Enjoy your purchase," Labelle smiled. They walked around the store a while longer, admiring the details of the furniture. Looking at the price tag on the table Bones bought Alley gave her a guilty feeling, but she was also so grateful. Bones was such a wonderful friend. She'd repay him, somehow.

The bus ride back home made Alley sleepy, and she hadn't a choice but to close her eyes and dream.


	20. Chapter 19

Rain pounded against the window the following morning. Alley awoke to thunder crashes and lightning flashes. No longer able to sleep, she walked down from the attic, grabbed her umbrella from the closet (she found it from the recycling bin), and cautiously walked outside.

Many people characterize rain as a solemn thing. Or, if it thunders, an angry thing.

But thunder, rain,wind, and lightning made Alley feel alive.

And there's nothing Alley Paine liked more than feeling alive.

So the girl with the pink hair and the muddy shoes danced to the music of thunder, under the spotlight of lightning. She danced with such a passion and a freedom; spinning and twirling and leaping and swirling. The rain kissed her cheeks.

Soon, though, her umbrella grew heavy. She hadn't a choice but to toss it onto the grass and forget about it completely.

_I always thought I was a different person when I came here, _Alley thought, b_ut now I know that this is who I am. Being ill kept me from expressing myself. Now that I'm free, I've learned so many new things about myself. _

Alley's hair became saturated. It fell in matted strands against her face, a feeling she wasn't familiar with. But still, it felt wonderful.

She never felt so happy. The soaked grass _sploshed_ and _splashed_ underneath her feet, spewing squirts of fallen rain. Alley examined the rivers. Raindrops produced ripples on the normally still water. As she looked more closely, her reflection stirred and she smiled to herself. She continued to dance.

Oh, how she danced.

How beautiful and graceful she was.

_But why am I dancing? _she asked herself over and over. _And how? _But there are some things that can't be explained.

Rain began to pour in sheets. Alley was not phased. She imagined the rain washing away all of the past, all of her troubles and doubts. Each raindrop symbolized a chance to start over; the storm was cleaning her world to start again. New life. New beginnings. Alley could leave everything behind. She could rid herself of her emotional pain. Things would be cleansed; she could move on.

Yes, little Alley danced. Her feet did not ache, though. She didn't feel dizzy. She just felt alive.

Don't stop now, Alley. Don't stop dancing now.

As for you?

Don't stop imagining, don't stop predicting, don't stop reading. This story isn't finished yet.


	21. Chapter 20

Two weeks passed since Alley's arrival to Isle. Her home was fully furnished with blues and greens. Thanks to her and Bones, the museum was bustling with bugs and fish and fossils. She planted trees and flowers in her spare time. She and Bones met each other at their pear tree as much as they could to talk about life and the world and sunsets and the stars. Eventually, she had completely forgotten about the life she used to live on Earth; her old friends were nothing but a forgotten memory. The animals in Isle became the greatest friends she had ever come to know.

One evening, just before sunset, Alley strolled down to the pear tree and gazed at the world around her. She sat against the trunk for hours, just watching. It was no longer a video game or a fantasy. It never was. Everything was purely real; it was fascinating.

And as young Alley died beneath the pear tree that night, the world around her became the world she used to know; nothing but a memory, a mere dream.


	22. Epilogue

**Epilogue **

The trees bowed their heads in the soft wind. The villagers gathered around the river for the passing of Alley Paine. Some were quietly sobbing; others bowed their heads in sorrow with their hands folded by their abdomens.

"We are gathered here this day to mourn the passing of our human villager, Alley Paine." Mayor Tortimer's tired voice broke at the end, and he removed his glasses to wipe away a tear. "I know many of us here in Isle were very fond of her. She had a wonderful soul and was ever kindhearted. She will be greatly missed. May Alley never be forgotten."

Maple whimpered. "She died alone," she whispered to Chrissy, "with no one beside her."

"She died happy," Chrissy whispered back, "if it weren't for us, she'd have died in that hospital room."

Each villager placed a white rose on Alley's casket.

"Would anyone like to say a few words?" Tortimer croaked. It sounded like he would break down and cry any second.

"I would." Bones's voice was dejected and shaky. He walked up to the podium shyly, his head down the whole time. His words weren't fancy, but they didn't have to be. His simple speech changed Isle forever.

"Now, many of you may not know this," he began, contemplating each of the faces in the crowd. "But Alley was sick. Very sick, in fact, with a disease called leukemia." Murmurs traveled amongst the crowd. "And she was told she would die." Silence. _Go on,_ they urged Bones, _go on._ "That's why she came here, you see. The physical and emotional pain was too much for Alley to bear back on Earth, so she ran away to escape her life and start a new one here." He spoke very softly and slowly, deeply thinking of each word before it was said. "We thought-" his voice cracked and he blinked to stop tears, "we thought she was cured here. B-but...she wasn't. I-it just numbed her because...because this isn't her own dimension. She didn't feel sick, though deep inside she was getting worse and worse." Bones turned his head, focusing on something in the distance. "See that pear tree over there?" His voice grew more steady. "We met each other...at that pear tree...almost every day. That's our tree. And the one day...," his voice quiets, "the one day...that one day, when she was there and...I wasn't. ...I'll never forgive myself for that." He was silent for a minute. "Isle, please don't forget Alley Paine. Now you know her story. Carry it with you wherever you go because...because she was so strong. She was so strong. And I'll miss her so much...thank you." He awkwardly walked down to the back of the crowd while some dabbed at their eyes.

"Hello everyone," the next speaker said, her usual cheery voice filled with sadness. "My brother and I, as you know, run the museum here. And..." Celeste spoke clearly. "And long ago, we found something strange in the stars. It was...it was some foreign constellation we've never seen before. S-so I looked it up and...the certain locations of those stars indicated that one day...one day we'd receive a visitor who'd give us great happiness and joy. After many long years of waiting, we now believe that person to be Alley. Not only has she and Bones donated great amounts of content to the museum; they brought kindness and good deeds throughout the village. She'll always rest in our hearts."

Maple and Chrissy said a few words as well. Maple talked about how she and Alley planted flowers the first day they met and how they shared coffee and decorated Alley's house. Chrissy spoke about the Marquee and the K.K. Slider concert and GracieGrace. I don't think they made it halfway through their speeches without sobbing a little.

"She'll return to Raleigh in a day or two if the water continues to flow," Tortimer said. He gave the casket a little push and it floated gently across the river, down to the sea. None of them left until it was completely out of sight.

"But I loved her," Bones whispered to no one.

I feel terrible for Alley's parents. Their daughter had been missing for fifteen days and when she finally returned to Earth, on that hospital bed, they discovered she was not breathing. They didn't know where Alley had been or what happened to her. She lay motionless, frail, and malnourished on the hospital bed that took the shape of her small body. Doctors said the leukemia had totally eaten up her body; it was a miracle she lived as long as she did. Alley's hair was gone once again.

Cheryl, Alley's mother, broke down when she heard the news. I won't go into it. However, when Alley was discovered in the hospital room she used to call home, Animal Crossing was buzzing softly in the background, its title theme strumming almost halfheartedly in the small speakers.

"No," her mother mumbled, shaking her head and laughing in spite, "that can't be. Impossible. Cheryl, you're losing your mind..."

But Cheryl, you're not alone. Meanwhile, in a whole other world, animals were grieving, too.

"Bones," Chrissy whined, tugging at his paw, "don't go. Please don't go. Come over to the dinner Town Hall is having."

"That's okay."

"No, Bones, please. Come over to my house, then."

"No. I'm fine. Don't worry about me."

"But-"

"I'm okay, really."

"No, you're not! Bones, you can't be alone! I don't want you to be." Then softer, "Alley wouldn't want you to be..."

"I'll be okay." He drooped his head and stared at the ground, walking sluggishly back to the pear tree.

"_Is it always this beautiful here?"_

"_Yup, always. The bugs are starting to come out now, and so are fish. Bugs are my favorite. They're so fun to catch. Do you want to catch some together?"_

"_I'd love to. Thank you."_

Bones passed Alley's small house. He peered through the window. He saw the Gracie low table he bought for her resting in the middle of the room. It made his heart thump and his mind flood with memories.

"_Um, this is for you. Kind of like...a 'welcome to town' present. A housewarming gift."_

"_Bones, you didn't have to."_

"_I did. I really did."_

Minutes passed. Bones sat beneath the pear tree. He leaned his head against the trunk and sighed.

"_Oh, two daaays aaagoo..."_

"Two days ago, Alley," Bones whispered. "Just two days ago I was talking to you."

"_Meet me at the pear tree."_

…

"_What would you do if I told you I was running away from home...to live here forever?"_

_I would confess my love for you._

"_And what if...what if I died?"_

_What if I died?_

_What if I died?_

Alley's voice echoed in his mind.

_What if I died?_

"You promised me you wouldn't die, Alley," he whispered to the air.

It was nighttime now. Bones looked up and found Alley's constellation hanging above his head, almost touching the tree's leaves.

"_You're a legend, Alley!"_

He could just make out that the stars Celeste had claimed would change Isle forever formed the figure of a girl.

Once, long ago, there lived a girl by the name of Alley Paine. Friends, readers, listeners, believers, this is where her story ends.


End file.
